Monument record GED 039 - Medieval or Post Medieval sea bank, seen on aerial photographs as an earthwork.

A sea bank, possibly of Medieval and Post Medieval date, can be seen on aerial photographs as an earthwork running for approximately 6.7km from circa TM42434949 at the south of Orford Quay on the banks of the River Ore, to circa TM39674855 to the south of the cliffs on the Butley River, Gedgrave parish. The earthwork has probably been built in a number of phases. A length of sea bank is marked on Norden's map of circa 1601, to the south of Orford Quay, so we can be sure that a degree of reclamation had begun by this date. Unfortunately, Norden's map focuses on the Orfordness area, and the level of detail in the neighbouring parish of Gedgrave is much more schematic. We can see on a map of circa 1800 that the sea bank has completely reclaimed Gedgrave marsh and that a new stretch of circa 1.5km that leads to Orford Quay has superseded the earlier bank (see GED 033). It may be possible to see the progression of the reclamation of Gedgrave marsh southwards, in the location of a series of now relict banks on Gedgrave marshes to the south of the parish, that may be the remains of earlier sea walls (see GEG 029-032). (S1-3)